Fifteen
by KairiAngel13
Summary: *Read "An Unsaintly Switch" First*- Fifteen years ago, Katherine stole and switched Kimberly's baby as a way to deal with the loss of her own child. Now, Katherine's sentence has ended and she is once again a free woman; but has Katherine really changed for the better, or has her scheming just begun? Alternate Universe. Pairings: Tom x Kim, Roc x Kat, Jas x Tri, etc...
1. Prologue

**A/N:**** Hello everyone! It has been exactly one year since "An Unsaintly Switch" came to an end and as promised, the sequel is finally here. This fanfic is a little different from the original, but there will still be just as much drama and a few twists and turns to keep you all in suspense. So, fifteen years have passed since the conclusion of the previous story. How much has changed since then? Well, read on to find out.**

**Oh yeah, there is one more thing. For this fanfic, I will be taking requests so to speak. A lot has happened in the fifteen year time skip and I am willing to post a one-shot that happened during the time skip if requested. For example, if you want to know how Molly came into this world, request it. If you want to know what happened between Collin and Kimberly during the time skip, request it. Are you interested in any other characters like Jason and Trini, request it. Just leave the one-shot question/request in your review and I will be sure to get the one-shot posted in my other half of this fanfic: "Between the Fifteen."**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the **_**Power Rangers **_**series or any of the show's characters. However, I do own all made-up characters and places featured in this story. As of right now, the plot is completely owned by me; but future elements of this story will be inspired by other sources. So please, NO STEALING!**

* * *

_**Prologue**_

"_Good morning citizens of Angel Grove. I am Kristen Black here with a special edition of the Angel Grove Report. Fifteen years ago, a woman by the name of Katherine Hillard, formerly Katherine Ignalis, was arrested for being involved in the kidnapping of a young infant named Neveah Ignalis. Fifteen years have passed since that fateful day and on this very day, a huge event is occurring. After being treated for a severe case of depression and insanity, Katherine had the opportunity to attend a parole hearing. After heavy debate and another psychological examination, Katherine was relieved of her twenty year sentence five years early. She will be released from Alcatraz later on this morning and she will begin living her life amongst the common folk once again. What this reporter wants to know is whether or not Katherine has truly recovered from her old ways and can society trust her enough to live amongst them. I am Kristen Black, signing off of the morning report."_

* * *

Katherine took a sigh of relief as she folded up the gray, wool blanket that had kept her warm for many nights in her cell. She laid it neatly at the foot of her bed before slowly lowering herself on the worn, blue mattress. Her cellmate Linda peered down at her from the top bunk and smiled.

"You must be so happy to finally be getting out of here." Linda said with as her smile softened. Katherine looked up at her with tears of joy in her eyes.

"I can't believe that this is actually happening." She said as she laughed through her tears. "I am finally going to be leaving this place."

"So, what do you plan on doing when you get out of here?"

Katherine's smile fell slightly as she stood and walked over to the cracked mirror hanging above the sink. She reached out and touched the cracked glass as she stared at her reflection. She was no longer a young, vibrant twenty-three-year-old woman looking for love and big dreams. Now, she had short blonde hair that reached her shoulders, a few wrinkles here and there, and wide eyes that held wisdom and fear gained from her time spent behind bars. Katherine was now thirty-eight and she felt like she had already lived most of her life. With a heavy sigh, she turned around to face her bunkmate.

"Linda, I have no idea what I am going to do when I leave these stone walls. I mean, they have been my home for the past fifteen years. I have grown up a lot in this stone prison and I have seen and learned things that the rest of the world just wouldn't understand. I have dreamed of being free for so long and now that the dream is finally becoming a reality…I don't know what to make of it."

Linda climbed down from her bunk and walked over to her friend. She placed a hand on her shoulder and shrugged.

"Where do you plan on going?"

Katherine smiled, clearly showing that she knew the answer to at least one of Linda's questions. "I'm going home."

* * *

"Hey mom, have you seen my gym bag?" a seventeen-year-old Jacob called out to his mother from the bottom of the steps. The sound of shuffling could be heard followed by the slam of a door. Kimberly appeared at the top of the steps with a green duffle bag in her hands. She reached over the railing and dropped the bag with a smile as her son dove, catching it in the nick of time.

"Jacob, maybe if your room wasn't so dirty, you would be able to find things once in a while." Kimberly said with an amused sigh.

Jacob stuck his tongue out playfully before heading into the kitchen. Kimberly smiled at her son before tightening her pink robe and heading down the steps. She leaned against the kitchen door frame and smiled at the sight of Jacob scrambling to butter two pieces of toast. Two girls with brunette hair were sitting at the table chatting away while eating bowls of _Cheerios_. The older of the two girls caught sight of Kimberly and smiled before standing from the table to give her a hug.

"Morning mom." She said as she buried her face in Kimberly's robe.

Kimberly planted a soft kiss on the girl's forehead before smoothing back her curly, brown hair. "Good morning Neveah."

"Mom, you're picking me up for gymnastics lesson later, right?" the other girl squeaked from her place at the table.

"Yes Molly, I'm still getting you." Kimberly reassured her youngest child before heading over to take a seat beside her. "Hey Jake, can you pass me a bowl and spoon."

Jacob sighed before digging through the cupboards to grab the requested items. He placed a glass bowl and spoon on the table before running back to finish making his breakfast. Neveah went back to her seat and smiled at her older brother.

"My, aren't we in a hurry this morning?" Neveah said with a playful smile. Kimberly raised an eyebrow as she looked between the two teenagers.

"You know something Jake? You do seem like you're in a bit of a hurry. The bus doesn't come for ten more minutes."

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Jacob said as he took a giant, crunchy bite out of his toast. "I'm getting a ride from Kegan and Daniel today. I'm sure my little sister can handle being on the bus alone."

Neveah waved her hand as she finished off her cereal. "I am fifteen years old Jacob. I can totally handle being on the bus by myself."

Kimberly smiled at her children as she continued to eat. "So Jacob, is the reason you are riding with Tanya and Adam's boys this morning because of this Aria girl I've been hearing so much about?"

Jacob dropped his toast onto the counter, surprised by his mother's question. He looked over his shoulder towards his sisters.

"Alright, which one of you blabbed?" he demanded as he held up a warning finger.

Molly held her hands up in defense. "Hey, don't look at me. I'm still in junior high school. There aren't any girls named Aria around that I know of."

Neveah twisted a lock of hair around on her finger as she began whistling. "Sorry bro, I couldn't help it."

Jacob sighed as he picked up his toast and headed to toss away his leftovers. "Yes mom, I am going to see Aria before first period today. So there you have it."

Kimberly smirked before giving Molly a quick high-five. Just then, the doorbell rang. Molly hopped up from the table and ran down the front hall to let in their visitor. She returned a moment later with Jason and Trini's daughter Samara right behind her.

"Morning Auntie Kim." Samara said with a small wave while Molly began to gather her things.

"You're just in time." Kimberly said with a smile. "You guys be sure to pay attention in class today. I don't want to receive another phone call about uncontrollable talking today."

Molly rolled her eyes before slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She walked over to her mom and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out of the house with Samara. As soon as the front door slammed shut, Neveah stood from the table to clear off hers and Molly's emptied bowls. After dumping them in the sink, she left to gather her own items for school.

Kimberly watched her oldest children finish getting ready and hugged them both as they jetted out the front door for school. With a satisfied smile, she dumped her own cereal bowl into the sink before heading upstairs to her bedroom. She paused in the doorway and smiled at the sight of her still sleeping husband lying on the bed in a mess of blankets, snoring softly. She quietly crept over to the bed before climbing back in and draping an arm over his bare chest. After pressing a kiss to his shoulder, she nuzzled her head against his back and slowly allowed sleep to overcome her once more.

* * *

Katherine took a deep breath as she smoothed out the wrinkles in the old t-shirt she had been given. She then stood patiently by the gate of her cell and waited for the patrolling officer to stop. The officer, Thelma, stopped at Katherine's cage and sighed before punching in a code on the keypad beside the cell. The door slowly slid open and Katherine could barely contain her excitement as she was led away from the prisoner holding area.

Several of the inmates spotted the blonde and smiled, a few of them calling after her with wishes of good luck as she made her way to the front desk. After being forced to sign several papers, Katherine was led to the front door of the prison.

"Well Katherine, it looks like this is the end of your sentence." Thelma said with a sigh. "I don't ever want to see you back in here again. Enjoy your freedom, and whatever you do, don't take it for granted."

Katherine smiled at Thelma before taking a deep breath and facing the doors. She held her head high as she strolled through the sliding doors and stepped out into the blinding sunlight of the afternoon. She lifted her arm to shield her face from the oncoming sun rays as she stepped onto the front sidewalk. Laughter spilled from her mouth as she twirled around like a small child in a field of dandelions. The warm, autumn breeze felt nice on her sticky skin and the fresh air did her lungs some good. She was finally free and she couldn't help but to feel so young and rejuvenated.

Suddenly, the sound of an engine could be heard approaching off in the distance. Katherine raised her arm to shield her eyes once again as she squinted to see who was coming. A smile spread across her face at the sight of a motorcycle speeding towards her, the rider wearing a helmet and a plaid, red shirt. The rider braked right beside her before cutting off the engine and climbing off the bike. As soon as he removed his helmet, Katherine smiled and leaped into his arms.

Rocky picked Katherine up and spun her around, the sound of her laughter soothing his worries in an instant. Once her feet were back on the ground, Katherine threw her arms around him and held him close to her as her body began to shake with sobs. Rocky was content with just holding her as they stood there on the front walk. Finally, he pulled away and studied her face intently for a moment before gently placing his hand to her cheek to wipe away her fallen tears.

"I'm free." She managed to choke out. The words made him smile as he leaned in and took her lips captive.

This kiss was hot, sending fire through Katherine's frail form, and she craved more. It had been so long since she had been able to touch someone in such an intimate way. The visits he had managed to squeeze into his busy schedule were nice, but touching his hand with a thick wall of cold glass in between them just wasn't the same. Rocky's skin was smooth to the touch, yet it held its own distinct roughness. Katherine grinned into the kiss as she pushed her body against him and Rocky allowed his arms to wrap around her securely as he continued to devour her lips. Finally, the need to breathe came to mind and the two of them pulled apart, gasping for air. Rocky released a low chuckle and Katherine smiled up at him, her tears finally gone.

"I have waited fifteen long years to do that." He admitted before pressing his lips to her forehead.

Katherine smiled as she reached her hand up to tousle his hair. "You didn't have to wait, you know?"

Rocky sighed. "I know Katherine, but I told you back then and I guess I will tell you again…I love you and nothing is ever going to change that. Not even father time. Now, what do you say we head back to Angel Grove?"

Katherine paused as she let the town's name settle into her mind. Angel Grove…it had been fifteen years since she was dragged from that place to this cold, dark prison. She wasn't sure if going back there was the right idea, but she had no other options. Her mother had passed away eight years ago, much to her dismay, and none of her other family members were willing to speak to her after the incident with the kidnapping.

Somehow, Rocky managed to sense Katherine's uneasiness and he rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Kat, everything is going to be alright. Sure, things are going to be hard for you at first, but they will get better, I promise. I am going to be by your side every step of the way, helping you get back on your feet. Now, what do you say we go home?"

Katherine smiled at her boyfriend before tugging him towards his motorcycle. "Lead the way."

Rocky lifted his helmet onto her head and took his seat while Katherine climbed onto the back and wrapped her arms securely around his torso. Rocky then started his bike and revved the engine a few times before speeding away from Alcatraz and all of its dark memories.

* * *

Kimberly opened her eyes slowly and groaned as the sunlight from the drawn curtains glared upon her eyes. She squeezed her eyelids shut and rolled over to face the other side of the room where the window wasn't located. With a sigh, she allowed her eyes to open and adjust to the change in light. After three minutes of lying in bed, the brunette sat up and stretched her arms above her head with a loud yawn. Her eyes traveled to the digital alarm clock at her bedside as she scratched the back of her head.

"Nine-thirty." She said with a sigh before sliding out of the bed and heading over to her bathroom. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and grunted in disgust. She couldn't stand how she looked in the morning even though her husband claimed she looked even more beautiful than she did at any other point during the day. With a shrug, Kimberly headed for the shower and pulled the stopper up to start the hot water. She then undressed herself before sliding behind the curtain and into the fountain of steam.

As she ran her shampoo through her hair, Kimberly began to hum a familiar tune that seemed to lift her spirits. Soon, she her mouth was open and she was swaying to her own beat as she sang to the steamy walls around her.

_Birds flyin' high, you know how I feel. Sun in the sky, you know how I feel. Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me. Yeah, it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, oh…And I'm feeling good…_

Kimberly finished rinsing out her hair and cleansing her skin before shutting off the tap and hopping out of the shower. She reached for the towel rack and quickly wrapped herself in a fluffy, green bath towel before heading back into her bedroom. The cool air from an open window blew across her wet skin like a whisper and she shivered before hurrying over to her armoire to find something to wear. As she pushed around the various shirts in the large dresser, the bedroom door closed with a gentle thud. Kimberly paused her search briefly as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She could hear someone walk across the room and stop right behind her. They were so close she could literally feel their breath on the back of her neck, causing her hair to stand on end. She ignored the visitor and resumed looking for an outfit.

Slowly, a sigh filled the room and a pair of muscular arms wrapped around Kimberly's waist, pressing the now damp towel against her skin. Kimberly smiled as her visitor pressed their lips to her neck slowly before pulling away and repeating the action on her bare shoulders. Swiftly, their lips moved to a sensitive spot behind Kimberly's ear and she felt her legs turn to jelly as she stumbled forward, but the strong arms held on to her tight, not desiring for her to fall.

"Well, someone's energetic this morning." She said as she looked over her shoulder towards her husband.

Tommy smiled back at his wife of fourteen years before snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her into a kiss. Kimberly sighed as Tommy's lips moved against hers tenderly in a slow, even rhythm. Kimberly moved her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, causing him to moan into the kiss. Slowly, they pulled away and Kimberly smiled before giving him a quick peck on the nose.

"So Mr. Commander in Chief, aren't you supposed to be at work today?" Kimberly questioned him as he rested his head on hers.

Tommy smiled before placing gentle kisses into her hair. "I actually had a little vacation time saved up and I thought we could spend the day together since you don't have a gymnastics meet tonight."

"Well handsome, that does sound like a fun idea, but in case you've forgotten, we have our children to think about."

"It's already taken care of." Tommy declared with a proud smile. "It is a Friday after all. Jacob is going over to Tanya and Adam's tonight and it's Collin's weekend to have Neveah, so she'll be over there with him and Hope. I even did the liberty of calling Jason and asking him and Trini to keep Molly."

Kimberly raised an eyebrow. "You must really want us to be alone today. What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on Kim, I promise. It's just that I've been busy at work with the recent rise in crime rates and you have been so busy training your gymnastics team. In between our jobs and looking after the kids, we haven't had too much time together other than when we are collapsing into bed at night."

Kimberly smirked, a seductive look in her eyes, as she punched him playfully. "Hey now, I was pretty happy with how we collapsed last night."

Tommy smiled before kissing her forehead again. "Anyways, I was thinking we could head over to Rocky's diner for lunch and head to an afternoon matinee down at the theater. What do you think?"

"I would be honored to go with you." Kimberly said with a smile before untangling herself out of his arms. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get dressed."

"Please Kim, take your time." Tommy said with a smile. He is answered by Kimberly throwing the towel over his head.

* * *

Rocky and Katherine strolled into the diner hand-in-hand as he led her over to the bar stools. Katherine climbed onto the stool and sighed in comfort as the smell of freshly grilled hamburger patties and deep fried onion rings filled her nostrils. Rocky couldn't help but to chuckle at the sound of her growling stomach.

"It sounds like someone's hungry." He said before poking her stomach teasingly.

Katherine nodded her head eagerly before resting her elbows on the counter top. "Do you have any idea how long it has been since I've had a decent meal? All of the things they say about prison food is one-hundred percent true Rocky, you had better believe it. I swear that some internal damage was done to my body after fifteen years of eating that slop."

The humor of the conversation quickly fades as the sound of whispers reach Katherine's ears. She sat upright on the bar stool and looked over her shoulder towards a group of friends seated at the table. She could hear the words "baby" and "kidnapper" coming from their mouths. With a sigh she turned around and rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

"I'm really sorry about all of this Katherine." Rocky said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Maybe we should have headed straight for the apartment."

Katherine shook her head in response. "No Rocky, everything is fine. Believe me, I am used to having people judge and talk about me behind my back without any knowledge of the true story. It is something that I had to put up with back in Alcatraz and it is something I'm going to have to deal with for the rest of my life. I can handle it, don't worry."

Rocky smiled at Katherine. He truly was amazed at how tough she seemed to be. Prison had definitely changed her. That much he could tell. With a sigh, he leaned against the counter and pulled an order pad out from his pocket.

"So, what can I get for you?" he asked casually, with a goofy smile on his face.

Katherine giggled before putting her hand to her chin in thought. "Well, let's see…I'll take a double-bacon cheese burger, a chili cheese fry, and a large chocolate milkshake."

"Wow, sounds like someone is pigging out tonight." Rocky said with a chuckle before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right back."

Katherine nodded before folding her hands neatly on the counter top. She had only been sitting there for five minutes when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Oh my God, Katherine? Is that you?"

A smile spread across the blonde's face as she looked up to face the owner of the voice. Tanya was standing right in front of her dressed formally, her hair straightened and framing her face perfectly.

"Tanya, it is so good to be seeing you again." Katherine said with a soft smile.

Tanya looked at her hesitantly for a moment before smiling. She walked around the counter and gave Katherine a hug, which was returned graciously.

"I just saw the news this morning." Tanya said as she broke the hug. "I can't believe you were released five years early. How are you feeling?"

Katherine shrugged as she ran a hand through her messy hair. "To be honest, I feel worn out and old. I mean, I sat in a prison cell for fifteen long years and believe me, it wasn't easy. Thankfully, I'm out now and Rocky is taking really good care of me."

"That boy." Tanya said with a shake of her head. "He is a good man Katherine, and don't you forget it. I can't think of anyone who would spend fifteen years of their life waiting on someone to get out of prison."

"Yeah, I know." Katherine said shyly. "Anyways, how have you been? We have to catch up on each other's lives and make up for lost time."

Tanya smiled before taking a seat on the bar stool beside her. "Well, Adam and I moved back to Angel Grove about six years ago. Adam was rehired at the police station and I was a stay-at-home mom for a while until Rocky asked me to be assistant manager. I don't have to skate around anymore since I'm basically in charge when Rocky isn't around."

"It sounds like things are going pretty well for you. Oh, what about your kids? How are Kegan and Daniel?"

Tanya sighed. "They will be eighteen in two months and they will be out of my hair. I can't wait for them to go, but I want them to stay at the same time. Anyways, their leaving will give me more time to focus on my daughter, Lisa."

Katherine gasped as a smile spread across her face. "You have a daughter?"

Tanya nodded. "She's fifteen. As it turned out, I had gotten pregnant right around the time that you…well, you know."

Katherine nodded understandingly. "It's okay. I can't wait to meet her."

"Trust me, you will be meeting her. Katherine, I want to let you know that in spite of everything that happened back then, I don't hold a grudge or any form of anger towards you. You had suffered a terrible loss and the pain of that loss clouded your judgment and you did some things that I know you aren't proud of. Just know that I am always going to be here for you, me and Rocky both."

"Thank you Tanya. That makes me feel a whole lot better, knowing that I at least have two people I can rely on."

Tanya gave Katherine's hand a gentle squeeze before standing. "Well, I had better get back to work. I'll call you later."

Katherine waved as Tanya ducked back into the kitchen. Rocky emerged a few seconds later carrying a plate of food and a chocolate milkshake. Katherine could feel her mouth watering as he set the plate down in front of her.

"Order up." He said with a smile before taking a seat next to her. Katherine licked her lips before digging into her first meal. Rocky watched her in amusement as she continued to eat, only pausing to take a sip from her milkshake. In less than seven minutes, Katherine had managed to empty her shake glass and clear her entire plate. With a sigh, she pushed the plate away and grabbed a napkin to dab away at the spare crumbs.

"So, how was your first meal outside of the slammer?" Rocky asked, amusement in his voice.

Kathrine smiled in embarrassment as she placed the napkin down on the counter top. "It was lovely, thank you."

Just then, the door swung open and an all too familiar laugh floated through Katherine's ears. Rocky stiffened beside her, and Katherine turned to see why. The other customers in the restaurant seemed to fade away as Katherine and Rocky stared at the two people walking through the door.

Tommy and Kimberly stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of Katherine sitting at the bar with Rocky. Kimberly appeared to have stopped breathing momentarily and Tommy had to place his hand on the small of her back to encourage her to take a deep breath.

Katherine cleared her throat before sitting upright in her seat. She figured it would be up to her to clear the air.

"Hello Kimberly. How are you?"

* * *

**A/N:**** And so ends the first chapter of this sequel. Go ahead and leave me a review to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Also, if you have any one-shot ideas that take place within the fifteen year time skip, post those in your reviews too. See you at the next update.**

**-KairiAngel13**


	2. The Kat's Back

**A/N:**** Hey guys, I'm back with the second chapter. I am so thankful to those of you who reviewed the prologue. I hope this chapter will be just as enjoyable. Don't forget to review!**

**Thank you for**** Reviewing:**

**Young at Heart21 (I hope this story will meet your expectations)**

**shadowimage (More will be revealed as time goes on; I felt getting straight to the point would be better with this fanfic)**

**jg13145 (Thank you for the one-shot request. It will be coming to you soon.)**

**sabina21 (Thanks for the review!)**

**zila12000 (Second one is back in the same day. Cheers!)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the **_**Power Rangers **_**series or any of the show's characters. However, I do own the plot of this story and all original characters that are featured. So please, NO STEALING MY IDEAS! Thank you.**

* * *

"_**The Kat's Back"**_

Katherine spared a glance a Rocky before standing slowly to her feet. Rocky stood up as well, the two of them never breaking eye contact with the diner's occupants. Katherine finally decided to be the one to clear the air; so she cleared her throat before folding her hands gently.

"Hello Kimberly. How are you?" she said nervously before shifting her weight to her left side.

Kimberly stood there, gawking at the blonde, her eyes wide and her lips parted just slightly. Tommy blinked away his surprise before resting a hand on the small of his wife's back, encouraging her to take a deep breath. Kimberly seemed to snap back to reality from the small gesture and she inhaled sharply.

"Hello Katherine." Tommy spoke up. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"What are you doing here?" Kimberly said quickly. "I mean…how did you…?"

Katherine tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she walked over to the lovely couple. Rocky followed close behind, unsure of how things were going to go down.

"I was reevaluated by a shrink back at Alcatraz." Katherine admitted. "I have been seeing a therapist and taking medication for my depression steadily over the years. I served seventy-five percent of my sentence and the time for my parole hearing was up. The jury and the judge all agreed that I am safe to live amongst society again and I plan on making a fresh start. Listen, I know that I have done some horrible things to both you and Tommy, but I was hoping we could bury the hatchet and try to move on with our lives."

Kimberly stared at Katherine in disbelief. "You must be joking. Katherine, you put me through hell all those years ago. How can you expect me to move on as though nothing happened?"

"Kimberly, give her a break." Rocky said as he took a step in front of Katherine. "When Katherine did all of those things, she wasn't in a solid state of mind."

The former Pink Ranger shook her head before looking up at her husband. "Let's skip lunch and go straight to the matinee. We can order Chinese take-out for lunch instead."

Tommy nodded before taking her hand in his and leading Kimberly out of the diner. Katherine watched sadly as they headed for Tommy's truck in the parking lot.

"That went well." She said with a shrug before leaning against the wall. "I can't say I blame them for still hating me. I hurt them deeply Rocky and I don't think I will ever be forgiven for that."

Rocky placed a hand on Katherine's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Katherine smiled at the thought before nodding in agreement. Rocky held the door open for her and the two of them headed out into the afternoon sun.

* * *

Jacob was sitting in his seventh hour class struggling to stay awake as his English teacher continued to talk about underlying themes in their current study of William Shakespeare's _Hamlet_. Just as Ms. Ryan prepared to discuss the possibility of Hamlet being insane and delusional throughout the course of the novel, the final bell of the day rang. The other students took a sigh of relief, glad that they wouldn't have to listen to one more minute of Ms. Ryan's boring lecture. Jacob smiled as he shoved his pencil case into his binder and stood to his feet.

"Don't forget to finish reading act two of _Hamlet_ for Monday's class." Ms. Ryan said in reminder to her students. "I expect for you to type an analysis of the entire act. It needs to be in twelve-point font, double-spaced, and at least three pages."

The students groaned as Ms. Ryan waved her hand, dismissing them. Jacob took hold of his things and hurried out the door towards his locker on the other side of the school. He excused himself as he pushed past students in the crowded hallways. He reached his locker in record time and spun in his combination to pop it open. As he stuffed his needed books into his backpack, a soft touch on his shoulder gained his attention.

"Hey there Jake." An angelic voice came. Jacob smiled before turning around to face the beautiful blonde behind him.

"Hi Aria." He said with a nervous smile. "What's up?"

Aria reached into her binder and pulled out a sheet of notebook paper and a pen. She passed her books to Jacob before leaning against the locker to write a series of numbers down. She smiled before handing the paper to Jacob and taking back her books.

"You asked for my number earlier, remember?" she reminded him as she flipped her hair over her left shoulder. "After serious consideration, I thought you should have it."

"Awesome." Jacob said, trying to contain his excitement. "So, can I call you later?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could hang out later?" she suggested, a playful smile on her lips. "A bunch of us are heading to the beach around four. The weather is still warm and we want to have one final blowout before the cold front comes in. It would be nice if you could come."

A wide grin spread across the teen's face as he nodded once. "That sounds like fun. Do you want me to pick you up, or should I meet you there?"

"You can meet me there." Aria said as she tickled his chin with her index finger. "I'm catching a ride from Melanie. I'll see you at four."

Jacob waved as Aria headed down the hallway towards her locker. Just then, someone tapped his shoulder. He turned around and groaned as Neveah smiled up at him.

"Well, did my big brother finally get asked out on a date?" she asked with a goofy smile on her face.

"Go away Neveah." Jacob said irritably as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and slammed the door shut. As he headed down the hall, Neveah followed after him, giggling.

"Oh, come on Jake. I'm just teasing you. I think it's great that you and Aria are finally going out. You have had a crush on her since your freshman year. I can't believe it took you all the way until senior year to start acting on your feelings."

Jacob shrugged as they headed down the main staircase towards the front doors. Jacob held the door open for his sister and the two of them stepped out into the warm, September afternoon before taking a seat on one of the park benches. They sat in silence for ten minutes as the buses pulled off and the crowd of students slowly diminished. A silver Ford Escape pulled up to the curb and the two teens stood to climb inside.

"Hi Hope." Neveah said cheerfully to her stepmother as Jacob closed the door behind them.

"Hey you guys, how as school today?" the brunette wondered as she pulled away from the curb.

Jacob and Neveah shrugged, not bothering to give her a verbal answer. Hope watched the two teens in her rearview mirror and smiled before turning her attention back to the rode. They rode in silence for ten minutes before Hope pulled into the driveway of hers and Collin's two-storied townhouse. She cut off the engine and the three of them hopped out before heading up the front porch steps.

Neveah pushed the front door open and smiled as the scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies floated through her nostrils. She followed the scent to the kitchen where two young children were seated at the table.

"Hey Zach, hey Ciara." Neveah said with a wave as she headed towards the platter of cookies on the island. The two children, Zach age eleven and Ciara age six, smiled at their half-sister before returning to their homework.

"So, where's dad?" Neveah wondered as she pulled one of the bar stool chairs out to take a seat. Jacob walked over to sit beside her as he grabbed a cookie of his own and began to devour the gooey treat.

"Your father had a few errands to run." Hope explained as she began rummaging through her cabinets in search of her ceramic cookie jar. "He left right after I did, so he should be back any moment now."

Suddenly, the sound of the front door slamming shut could be heard. Moments later, Collin appeared in the kitchen dressed in a business suit, his briefcase in his hand.

"There are my kids." He said with a smile as he walked over to give Neveah a kiss on her cheek. He patted Jacob on the back before setting his briefcase on the countertop. "So, how was school today?"

"Jacob has a date with Aria." Neveah blurted out, earning a glare from her brother.

"Aria Daniels?" Collin asked his son as he began to loosen his tie. "You've been crazy about her for years. You finally asked her out."

Jacob shoved the rest of his cookie into his mouth and swallowed. "Well, not exactly. She asked me to hang out at the beach with her today. I guess she and her friends are having an end of the summer party."

"Wait a minute," Hope said as she set the cookie jar down on the counter and began to fill it up, "what kind of party is it? There won't be any drinking, will there?"

"Relax Hope." Jacob sighed as he helped her place the cookies into the jar. "It's just a beach party. There will probably be a few games of chicken, a lot of swimming, dancing, and picnic food. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Besides, I am responsible. I would never do something crazy and you know that."

Collin shrugged as he smiled at his wife. "He's right you know. We have a responsible teenager on our hands. Anyways, Tommy called and said you were going to stay with Kegan and Daniel tonight?"

Jacob nodded as he placed the lid on the cookie jar. "I planned on getting a few things from my room and packing a bag to take with me to the party. I'll have Kegan pick me up from the beach when it's over."

"Look daddy." Ciara said with a proud smile as she held up a drawing of a park. Collin smiled as his youngest child and walked over to observe her masterpiece.

"It's beautiful Ciara." He complimented her. "I think it is good enough to make it on the fridge."

Ciara clapped her hands excitedly as Collin took the construction paper and headed for the double-door fridge. He took a magnet and hung the picture up before stepping aside to show his daughter.

"How does that look?"

"It's perfect daddy. Now everyone can see it."

Collin nodded before turning his attention back to his two teenagers. "Well then Neveah, what would you like to do tonight?"

Neveah shrugged as she reached into the cookie jar to grab a cookie. "I kind of want to go ice skating, but I know that's not your thing. I would ask Lisa to go with me, but she's still grounded."

"I'll take you then." Hope volunteered. "I used to love ice skating when I was younger. You wouldn't mind staying home with the kids, would you Collin?"

Collin smiled. "Not at all honey. You girls go on out and have a good time."

* * *

Kimberly pushed the front door open to her home and stepped inside. She dropped her keys carelessly into the dish near the door before heading into the living room and collapsing on the couch. She took a deep breath as she rested her forehead in her hand. Tommy walked into the room a few seconds later carrying a bag of Chinese take-out, a look of worry on his face.

"Kim, are you alright? You've been quiet since we left the diner."

Kimberly sighed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry Tommy. You had our whole day planned and I am ruining it."

Tommy set the bag on the coffee table before taking a seat and pulling Kimberly into his arms.

"Honey, I'm not upset with you and our day certainly isn't ruined. I will admit that Katherine's early release came as a shock to me too, but we both knew this day was going to come sooner or later. We have to face the fact that Katherine is back in Angel Grove. We just have to get used to her being here and we certainly have to make sure she doesn't come in between us and our family."

Kimberly slowly nodded before resting her head on Tommy's chest. She could hear the even beating of his heart as he slowly took a breath.

"Tommy, I'm not saying that the past fifteen years were perfect. You and I know very well how imperfect these fifteen years have been."

Tommy nodded once as memories of a darker time in their marriage came to light. He shook his head to rid himself of the memories before turning his attention back to his wife.

"What I am saying is that even though times seemed bleak, they were okay because Katherine wasn't around making our lives miserable. I don't care if she has changed, I don't want her anywhere near our family, especially Neveah."

"Well Kimberly, Angel Grove isn't as big as we think it is. Katherine and Neveah are bound to cross paths eventually. Maybe we should talk to Neveah about all of this. We could head over to Collin and Hope's place right now to let them know to stay clear of Katherine."

Kimberly sat up and reached into the bag to grab her box of stir-fry. "Sounds like a plan to me, but let's eat first."

Tommy smiled as Kimberly passed him a box of food and a set of chopsticks. He kissed her on her cheek sweetly before digging in.

* * *

Rocky unlocked the door to his apartment and pushed it open slowly. Katherine smiled as he flipped the light switch on, flooding the apartment with light. Much to her surprise, the apartment still looked exactly as it had fifteen years ago, with the exception of a flat screen television and a few other trinkets added here and there. Katherine headed into the living room and took a seat on the couch. Rocky leaned casually against the doorframe and smiled as he watched her intently.

"Welcome home." He said, his smile softening. Katherine looked up at him and sighed.

"I promise I won't be a burden." She reassured him. "Once I get a job, I will be out of your hair Rocky, I promise."

Rocky's brow knit in confusion as he walked to take a seat beside her. "Kat, I don't want you to leave. You can stay with me as long as you want. I love you and having you around would make me so happy. You don't have to leave, ever."

Katherine stared at him questioningly. "Rocky, what will everyone think?"

"Kat, I love you and I already told you that there is nothing you can say or do that is going to change that. You are stuck with me."

Rocky wrapped an arm around Katherine's shoulders and pulled her close to him. She leaned up to give him a quick kiss before turning to the television screen. Rocky grabbed the remote and flipped the television on. _Fifty First Dates _was playing and Katherine seemed intrigued by the unfamiliar film. So she snuggled into his side and the two of them watched the sad, but wonderful love story.

* * *

Collin sighed irritably as he scraped the remnants of a burnt casserole into the trash. Zach and Ciara watched, both of them laughing, from their place at the table. Collin sighed and set the emptied casserole dish into the sink before filling it with soap and water.

"Well kids, I don't think we're going to be eating casserole for dinner after all. What's worse, your mom is going to kill me for leaving it in ten minutes past its prime. How does pizza sound?"

Ciara smiled happily as she exchanged a glance with her brother. "Meat lover's pizza?" she asked hopefully. Collin smiled before taking off his apron and picking up his cell phone. Just before he can make a quick call to Dominoes the doorbell rings. Collin raises an eyebrow before heading for the door. When he opens it, he is surprised to see Kimberly and Tommy standing on the porch.

"Kim, Tommy, what are you guys doing here? I thought you were spending the day together."

"Well we were, but something came up." Kimberly huffed. "Do you mind if we come in?"

Collin shook his head as he held the door open and motioned for them to head inside. Tommy and Kimberly walked into the kitchen to take a seat with Ciara and Zach at the table. Kimberly wrinkled her nose in disgust at the awful smell in the room.

"What's for dinner?" she asked as she made a disgusted face.

Collin apologized as he lifted the trash bag out of the can. "Zach, take this trash out back and you and your sister go and play."

Zach did as he was told and took the bag before leaving the room. Ciara ran off after him.

"Sorry, I kind of burnt Hope's casserole." Collin admitted as he washed his hands. "She told me to keep an eye on it but I kind of forgot. So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I take it you haven't seen the news today." Tommy said as the older man joined them at the table. "Katherine was released from Alcatraz this morning."

Colin's mouth fell open at the news. He definitely wasn't expecting to hear this. "What do you mean she was released from prison? Doesn't she have another five years of her sentence?"

Kimberly shook her head. "Apparently, her mental state was reevaluated in time for her parole hearing and she was released for good behavior. Tommy and I ran into her at Rocky's diner earlier this afternoon. The two of them appear to be closer than close."

"That doesn't surprise me at all." Collin admitted. "Rocky and Tanya were the only two who went to visit her while she was locked up."

Silence overcame the three of them as they sat there, listening to the refrigerator running in the background. Finally, Collin cleared his throat.

"How do you think we should go about handling this?"

Tommy shrugged. "I don't think it will be that hard really. We just have to get used to having Katherine around again. No one ever said we had to associate with or spend time with her. We can continue living our lives as we normally do."

"We can't just do that." Kimberly protested. "Katherine is bound to run into us or one of our children eventually and I don't think I will be able to handle it, especially if that child happens to be Neveah."

"Where is Neveah?" Tommy asked. "I think she should be made aware of the situation."

"Hope took her to the ice skating rink." Collin stated simply. "They should be back within the next hour or so. As for Jacob, he went to the beach with a few of his friends. I'll be sure to let them know if it helps."

Kimberly nodded. "Thank you Collin. I'm sorry that I'm acting so paranoid. It's just that…what if Katherine isn't cured like she seems to think she is. I mean, who is to say that seeing Neveah again will stir up all kinds of emotions?"

Tommy placed a hand on Kimberly's back and rubbed it soothingly. Kimberly sighed as she slowly began to calm down.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be fine." Collin reassured his former lover. "Katherine isn't going to be a threat."

"Wait a minute, did you just say Katherine?" a voice came from the doorway. Tommy and the others gasped at the sight of Neveah and Hope standing there, shock on their faces.

"Neveah, how long have you been standing there?" Kimberly questioned her daughter as she stood to her feet.

"Long enough to know that Katherine is back. How long have you known?"

"We just found out sweetheart." Collin said reassuringly. "She was released from prison five years early."

Hope gasped as she placed a hand over her heart. "I never thought she would have the possibility of a parole hearing. I expected for Neveah to be out of Angel Grove and off at college when Katherine was released. That woman is an abomination."

"Now wait a minute everyone." Collin said, silencing the ruckus. "If Katherine's shrink believes that she has changed, maybe she has. We don't know anything about her mental state right now and it isn't fair for us to jump to conclusions. Believe me, I know that Katherine made our lives a living hell in the past, but we shouldn't push her aside based on those decisions."

"Dad, are you seriously defending the woman who kidnapped me as an infant and tried to pass me off as her own child?" Neveah screamed. "I can't believe you!"

Kimberly and Collin watched with heavy hearts as their daughter dropped her skates and ran up the master staircase. Collin sighed as he turned to his wife.

"I thought you guys were going to the ice skating rink. I was going to explain everything to you both when you returned."

Hope smiled sadly as she walked into the room to place a hand on his shoulder. "The rink is closed for repairs. I'm sorry about all of this. I should have taken her somewhere else first."

"Hope, this isn't your fault." Tommy reassured his fellow officer. "You had no idea what was happening back here."

"I'm going to go and check on our daughter." Kimberly announced as she made her way out of the kitchen. Collin turned to Tommy and frowned.

"Kimberly is taking this pretty hard." He said.

Tommy nodded. "I can't say I blame her. However, I do agree with you about one thing Collin. Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions when it comes to Katherine. Maybe she really has changed. We should give her the benefit of the doubt."

* * *

Neveah pushed her bedroom door open and jumped face first onto the queen-sized mattress. She reached out with shaky hands and took hold of her pillow before clinging onto it for dear life. Kimberly knocked on the door a few minutes later, but the teen didn't respond. Her mother pushed the door open slowly and felt her heart ache at the sight of Neveah trembling on top of the comforter. Slowly, the brunette made her way over to her daughter and took a seat on the mattress, causing Neveah to sink deeper into its middle. She then reached out a hand and stroked Neveah's curly brown hair gently.

"Sweetheart, I am so sorry about all of this." Kimberly said gently as she continued to stroke her hair. "I never meant for you to find out this way. You know, it was a shock to Tommy and I too when we ran into her at the diner. We never expected for her to come back so quickly."

Neveah sat up slowly and turned to her mother, tears running down her face. "Mom, I'm scared. I mean, I know I was too young to remember what happened back then, but I do know it wasn't right. That woman switched me with some other woman's baby just so she could hold onto dad and make your life miserable. They should have sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Maybe then, I would feel safer."

"Oh honey." Kimberly said as she grabbed Neveah's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know this is tough, but you have your family and friends to help you through this. We aren't going to allow Katherine to be near you and if you see her in public, you go somewhere else where you know you will be safe."

"Mom, as long as Katherine is free…I will never be safe."

Kimberly watched, her heart aching, as Neveah broke down in tears. She wrapped her arms around the young teen and whispered soothing words to her as she tried to calm her down. Neveah was scared beyond belief and so was Kimberly. Could they really trust that Katherine had changed for the better or was it all simply an act?

* * *

**A/N:**** Review!**


	3. Raging Storm

**A/N:**** Hey guys, I'm back with the next update; but before we start I want to respond to several reviews that I received during the previous chapter with one single answer. I am a college student who is working part-time while balancing dance lessons and a position at my church, so updating is very difficult to do when I have so much going on in my personal life. I will do my best to post a new chapter once a week, but if I miss a week, please try and be understanding. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a million times in advance. Now, on with the disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the **_**Power Rangers **_**series or any of the show's characters. However, I do own all made-up characters featured in this fanfic and at this point, I own all elements of the plot. So please everyone, NO STEALING MY IDEAS. Please, and thank you very much.**

* * *

"_**Raging Storm"**_

Jacob drummed his fingers against his leg impatiently as Kegan sped down the street towards Angel Grove Park. The seventeen-year-old could feel his stomach twisting as though it were in knots. He had spent the past two years dreaming to have a chance to hang out with Aria and now, his dreams were slowly becoming reality. Kegan spared a glance at his friend out the corner of his eye and smiled before shaking his head. He knew his friend had it bad for the petite blonde.

The two friends rode in silence as Kegan turned into the parking lot right beside the park. Kegan cut the engine off and sighed before turning to his friend.

"Well, have fun at your little beach bonanza. You have to let me know how things go."

Jacob gave a silent nod before turning to his friend. "You have no idea how badly I wish you could go with me man. I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb."

"Hey, just stay with Aria and I'm sure she'll help you to fit in. You're going to do great bro."

"Thanks man."

Jacob gave his friend a slight wave before slinging his drawstring bag over his shoulder and getting out of the car. He could hear the sound of music playing in the distance, the bass echoing off the surrounding trees. His nervousness soon turned into excitement at the sight of at least twenty teens dancing on the sandy shore of Angel Grove beach. There was a game of volleyball going on at the south end and a few of his classmates were out in the water. What caught his eye was the beautiful sight of Aria standing with Melanie and two other boys, Chad and Cameron, all of them holding red plastic cups in their hands. Swallowing down his nervousness, Jacob strode over to the group of four.

Melanie was the first to spot the brunette, and she tapped Aria on her shoulder before pointing in his direction. Aria raised an eyebrow before looking towards Jacob. A smile spread across her lips slowly as she passed her drink to Melanie and skipped over to her guest.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to show up." She said with a grin before throwing her arms around him in a hug. Jacob smiled as she pulled away.

"This is some turn out." He said as he looked around. "It looks like the whole school is here."

"Not exactly." She said before leading him towards her friends. "Just everybody who is anybody. Come on, I want you to meet my friends."

Jacob followed Aria back to her group of three and smiled as she began introducing everyone. "This is my best friend Melanie. I'm pretty sure you've met before. These two lug heads are my friends Chad and Cameron. They're on the football team."

Jacob extended a hand which Chad gladly took. Cameron gave the boy a look of uncertainty, but after receiving a glare from Aria, he took Jacob's hand and offered him a soft smile.

Suddenly, the speakers' volume increased as the beats of Toni Braxton's "Make My Heart" began to pound through. The crowd began to cheer as everyone ran over to the DJ booth and began dancing to the beat. Aria began to rock on the toes of her feet, a playful look in her eyes. Jacob caught sight of her and smiled.

"Aria, would you like to dance?" he asked her as he held out a hand. Aria nodded happily before taking his hand and dragging him down the beach and over to the crowd of crazed teenagers. Aria swung her head around wildly, causing her hair to whip around wildly and Jacob couldn't take his eyes off of her for one second. Aria raised an eyebrow and gave him a seductive smirk before taking hold of his hands and pulling him close. Jacob allowed Aria to guide him alongside the rhythm and he couldn't wipe the stupid look off his face. Aria laughed and slid her hand along his neck and up to his hair.

"I'm so glad you decided to come." She admitted as they continued to dance along to the beat, completely ignoring everyone around them.

"I'm glad I came too Aria."

The two of them stopped speaking and simply stared at each other, their hips still moving along to the beat. All of Jacob's fears and worries were a thing of the past. All that mattered to him at that moment was Aria, and nothing was going to take his attention away.

* * *

Katherine opened her eyes and stifled a yawn as she slowly tuned into her surroundings. The television was still on, the title screen of _50 First Dates _playing in an endless loop. Evening traffic could be heard outside the open window of the apartment and the room was a tad chilly. Katherine could hear the even beating of Rocky's heart and she smiled at the reminder that she was wrapped in his arms. She slowly lifted her head and smiled at the peaceful look on the brunette's face before planting a small kiss on his cheek. With a heavy sigh, Katherine maneuvered herself out of the brunette's arms and stood from the couch to head for the balcony.

The sliding patio doors were easy to close and Katherine made sure not to wake Rocky before turning out to face the evening before her. Angel Grove was simply beautiful at night and Katherine couldn't help but to think of how much she had missed it. The midnight sky was dark and black, but it held a warmth from the hundreds of orange street lamps that lined the sidewalks. The air was a tad chilly, but it was still a nice evening. Katherine could see a family of four in the yard next door grilling hamburgers and hotdogs for the night. An elderly man could be seen across the street walking his Collie while whistling a catchy tune. A group of teenagers were riding their skateboards further up the block, each of them trying to out stunt the other. Who could forget the noisy, yet comforting sounds of the city like the crow of birds, honking car horns and running engines, and the sound of the convenience store bell across the street opening and closing repeatedly?

A soft smile graced Katherine's lips as she leaned against the metal railing of the balcony and rested her chest against the cold contraption. Her eyes slid closed as she listened to the relaxing sounds that were so familiar, yet so new to her. Anything sounded like music in comparison to the drafty and horrid sounds of Alcatraz.

The patio door slid open behind her, yet Katherine continued to listen to the sounds around her. Rocky smiled at the sight before walking over and wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek before resting his head on her shoulder.

"I woke up to find that you were no longer in my arms." He said, his warm voice making her stomach quiver with excitement. "I missed you."

Katherine gave a light-hearted laugh as her eyes opened. "I needed to get some fresh air and settle back into the city, so to speak. I'm sorry if I woke you."

Rocky shrugged. "To be honest, my stomach is what woke me up. It's been a couple hours since I've eaten and we managed to take a three hour nap. What do you say to ordering a pizza and relaxing for the rest of our evening?"

"That sounds nice. I have been dying to eat pizza for fifteen years."

Rocky laughed at her joke before releasing her and heading back into the house to find the phone book. Katherine followed inside after him and plopped down on the sofa to lean back into its warmth. Rocky returned a few minutes later and placed his phone on the coffee table before taking a seat beside her.

"One large sausage and anchovy pizza is on its way." Rocky announced with a goofy grin on his face. Katherine smiled, happy that he remembered her favorite, before resting her head on his shoulder. Rocky wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Alright Kat, what gives?" he asked suddenly. Katherine raised an eyebrow before lifting her head to meet his gaze.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, I know something is on your mind. You have never been this quiet. Or perhaps, you're used to keeping things to yourself."

Katherine sighed, knowing that she could no longer hide her depressed mood. "I was just thinking about our encounter with Kimberly and Tommy earlier today. Kimberly looked scared to see me and I hate that I am the cause of all of this. I don't want her or anyone else for that matter to feel as though I am some kind of threat. I have gone through all of the treatment programs. I've been medicated and analyzed. I have completely changed, but that doesn't mean everyone else is going to buy it. I just wish there was something I could do to prove to them that I am not a threat."

"Katherine, the best thing you can do at this point in time is give Tommy, Kimberly, and everyone else who was affected by the switch the space they need. They aren't going to be as accepting of you as I am. It is going to take some time, but they will eventually be able to at least act cordial towards you."

Katherine smiled. "I guess you're right. So, what are we going to do until we the pizza gets here? We could restart the movie since we fell asleep halfway through?"

"I have a better idea." Rocky said as he cupped her cheek and brought her lips to his. Katherine's eyes widened in surprise, but they slowly shut as she sighed, melting into the kiss. Rocky was so gentle and caring with her as though she were a fragile doll and Katherine appreciated him for being such a gentleman. She tilted her head to deepen the kiss and she could feel heat radiating between the two of them. When he broke the kiss, she felt her heart ache as it longed for more, but she couldn't help but to smile at the romantic gesture.

Rocky pulled her close before snatching the television remote of the end table and flipping to a horror film. Katherine snuggled close to him before turning her attention to the television screen.

* * *

Collin walked up the steps in his home before heading down the hall to Neveah's room. He knocked on the door lightly and waited until Kimberly gave him the okay to go in. He pushed the door open slowly and frowned at the sight of Kimberly sitting on the bed with Neveah's head resting in her lap. Kimberly was combing her hands through the girl's curly brown hair, tears staining her cheeks.

"Tommy had to go to the station." He said quietly to ensure that he wouldn't wake the sleeping teen. "Hope went with him to lend a hand. They were both really worried since you never came back downstairs."

Kimberly nodded as she continued to work her fingers through Neveah's hair. "She begged me not to go. Collin, she is really terrified by the fact that Katherine is here. I've been thinking…maybe it wasn't such a good idea for us to tell her about Katherine. I thought it would be for the best at the time but I should have thought about the possibility of Katherine being released early. I mean, do you remember how shaken up she was when we told her?"

Collin nodded as he walked into the room to take a seat beside Kimberly on the queen-sized mattress. "We thought it was for the best that she knew. It was a decision that both of us made because we felt she had the right to know. I mean, I never wanted her to have someone come up to her and ask about Katherine's trial and surprise her with the information. She was thirteen when we told her and we felt she had the right to know about her upbringing."

"Collin, what are we going to do? Katherine is bound to run into Neveah sooner or later and who knows what will happen then? She is scared for her safety and I don't know how to help her."

"Don't worry Kim. I'm sure we will think of something."

Neveah suddenly moved in her mother's arms before opening her eyes. She looked around in a daze before slowly sitting up. She exchanged a glance with the worried eyes of her parents before sighing.

"How are you feeling?" Collin asked as her eyes rested on him. Neveah shrugged before scratching the back of her head.

"I'm okay dad. I just needed a little time to recollect my nerves."

"Did you want to go home with your mother and Tommy? I will understand if you decide to."

Neveah shook her head before standing and walking over to her father. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest with a sigh.

"I want to stay here with you." She said firmly. Collin smiled understandingly before patting her gently on the head. Neveah always went to her father when she was afraid, no matter the situation.

"Well then baby girl, I'm going to head on home." Kimberly said as she slowly stood from the bed. Molly's face immediately washed over with fear at the thought of her mother leaving. Collin didn't fail to notice and wrapped his arms around the shaking teen.

"Neveah, don't worry. Your mom will check on you in the morning. Nothing is going to happen to you while you're with me, that's a promise."

Kimberly looked over her shoulder and blew her daughter a kiss before making her way out of the room. As she descended the stairs, she could hear the faint murmur of the television in the living room. As she passed by the archway, she could see Ciara and Zach playing _Mario Party _on the Wii. The two of them were laughing happily, a complete contrast to what was happening with their older sister upstairs. Kimberly smiled lightly before heading out the front door and into the night.

* * *

Katherine sighed in delight as she finished off her last slice of pizza. Rocky laughed as she closed the box and leaned back on the couch to hold her in his arms.

"That was delicious." He said with a satisfied sigh. "I don't think I can eat another bite, not that there is another slice to bite into anyways."

Katherine nodded with a yawn as she snuggled against his chest. "Antonio's still makes the best pizza in all of Angel Grove. I'm glad to know that some things never change."

"What do you say we hit the sack?" Rocky asked as he also yawned. "It's getting pretty late and I have to work in the morning. Say, what did you plan on doing tomorrow anyways?"

Katherine shrugged. "Well, the most logical thing to do would be to look for a job. I don't expect to freeload while I'm living with you. I want to do my share by paying the rent and helping out around here. I am no longer living in an upscale mansion with servants and maids waiting on me hand and foot. It is time I do a little work."

"Well, if it's a job you want, you can work at the diner." Rocky said.

"Rocky, you don't have to give me a job just because we're dating." Katherine said with a smile. "Besides, I have heard that it is a terrible idea to work with your lover."

Rocky laughed before kissing her on the forehead. "Come on Kat, it will be great. Besides, you worked as a waitress for three years at the Bistro downtown, remember? You would be a great asset to the diner. Besides, one of my waitresses just quit and we could use someone with your skills. What do you say?"

Katherine smiled before standing to her feet. "Alright then Rocky. I guess I will put on a poodle skirt and get to work first thing tomorrow."

Rocky stood to his feet and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close. "Let's go to bed."

Katherine smiled like a little girl as Rocky lifted her up into his arms bridal style and carried her down the hall into his room, slamming the door shut behind them.

* * *

Tommy pulled his hair tie out and combed his finger through his hair as he stepped through the front door of his home. He dropped his keys in a small dish on a nearby decorative table before shutting the door. A yawn escaped his lips as he slowly walked into the kitchen to look for Kimberly, but she wasn't there. The dishes had been cleaned and stacked neatly on the rack, and the chairs were lifted onto the table showing signs that the floor had been both swept and mopped. Tommy headed into the living room in hopes of seeing his wife, but she wasn't there either. The remote remained exactly where he had left it after their lunch earlier and Kimberly's favorite throw had been folded neatly over the armrest of the couch. The room looked untouched with the exception that the ceiling lamp was on.

With a puzzled look on his face, Tommy made his way up the stairs and into the master bedroom where Kimberly was curled up, a throw over her shoulders and a photo album in her lap as she looked over the pictures intently. Tommy smiled as he walked into the room and took a seat beside her. He placed a kiss on her cheek gently and the corner of Kimberly's mouth tugged upward in a smile.

"Hey beautiful." He said, his heart warming up at the sight of her smile.

Kimberly sighed as she turned a page. "Hey Tommy, how was work?"

Tommy groaned as he wiped a hand over his face. "The special victims unit needed a hand handling one of their cases because it turned into a homicide. Adam called me and Hope in to lend them a hand."

"A rape and murder case?" Kimberly said as she closed the cover of the book, suddenly uninterested in the photographs. "Oh my God, that's terrible. What happened?"

"A young woman was out near the river with an old boyfriend who apparently wanted to patch things up and he tried to rape her. She claimed that she fought him off before fleeing to the police station, but a few witnesses earlier that day saw the two of them arguing in the town square and she had this murderous look in her eyes. Adam had Hope and I travel to the crime scene and we could see dragging patterns in the dirt. Sure enough, we found the accused rapist's body floating in the river."

Kimberly's mouth fell open. "Oh my God. Do you think the victim is responsible for throwing him in there?"

"I don't think she worked alone if she did kill him." Tommy admitted as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "The guy was two times her size. It would have been nearly impossible for her to drag him a mile to the river by herself. We have to find out who the accomplices were. So while Adam's department investigates the rape, my department is going to find the accomplice or accomplices in the homicide case. But enough about work. What are you doing?"

Kimberly smiled sadly as she opened the photo album again and ran a hand over the thing film of the page. Tommy smiled softly at the sight of baby pictures of their children. There was a picture of a seven-month-old Jacob with a bowl of Spaghetti on his head, sauce splotches all over his cheeks as he grins widely at the camera. There is another picture of a five-year-old Jacob wearing his FBI hat while hoisted up on Tommy's shoulders at the parade downtown. There are a few other pictures of the now seventeen-year-old like his first bike ride, him opening gifts on Christmas morning, Jacob's first day of school, his Junior High School graduation and many more.

Other pages hold pictures of Neveah during her first birthday, first haircut, her and Tommy swimming at the community pool, her first time trick-or-treating and so many more. The little girl looks so happy in comparison to the fifteen-year-old back at her father's crying in heartbreak. There are a few pictures in the album that make Kimberly frown in disappointment, for Katherine is the one who took the images. Kimberly sighed as she turned the page to view her little Molly Dolly. Tommy smiled at the sight of his daughter being held safely in his arms at the hospital as he sat beside a worn out Kimberly mere hours after she had given birth. There is another photograph of Molly's tiny fist wrapped around her dad's finger. There are pictures of Molly and Jason running through the yard, a snapshot of Samara and Molly making mud pies, a picture of Molly's first gymnastics tournament and so on.

"Kim, not that I mind, but why did you pull this old photo album out?" Tommy asked as he rested his free hand on her knee.

Kimberly sighed as she turned another page. "I remember back then how simple things used to be. A hurt finger and a scraped knee could instantly be fixed with a kiss and a hug. Nightmares and monsters in the closest couldn't stand a chance when you or me would go and fight them away. We could heal every sickness, every sad thought, and we could stop them from fighting in a matter of seconds. Tommy…you should have seen how torn up Neveah was back at Collin's place and it broke my heart because nothing I said or did would make her feel better. She is terrified at the thought of Katherine being back and there is nothing I can do to make her feel better. A simple hug and a kiss aren't going to fix a problem of this intensity. I don't know what to…"

Tommy raised an eyebrow as Kimberly's voice slowly trailed off. He raised an eyebrow before looking down at the page in her lap. He felt his heart clench at the sight of a sonogram photograph with a date written in blue ink beside it on the page. His eyes slowly moved to Kimberly who had tears sliding down her face. Tommy took a deep breath before moving his arm from around her shoulder to close the album and pull it from her lap to slide it under the bed.

"I thought you got rid of the pictures." He said after a while before looking down at his hands.

Kimberly shook her head slowly. "I thought I had gotten rid of them but it seems I was wrong."

"Kim, let's watch a movie to take your mind off of it."

Kimberly shook her head as she stood from the bed and walked over to the window. Tommy watched, his heartbreaking, as she wrapped her arms around herself and glared out into the night.

"Kimberly, come back to bed." Tommy urged her from his place on the mattress, but Kimberly blew air through her nose as she stood her ground.

"Why don't we ever talk about it?" she wondered aloud. "We act as though it never happened."

"Kimberly, you know very well why we don't talk about it." Tommy replied. "The last time we spoke of it, things escalated so badly between us that our marriage nearly ended. You wouldn't talk to me, let alone stand in the same room with me. You were so angry with yourself that you continued to push me away. I don't want to walk down that path again. Let's just go to bed and-"

"No Tommy." Kimberly said firmly. "I'm tired of walking around here pretending like everything is okay. Katherine's coming back only makes things that much worse in our lives. It was already hard enough on us and the kids having to go on with our lives as though none of that day ever happened. I still get pained looks from Jacob and Neveah in spite of it having been five years. I hate the fact that they tiptoe around me as though to avoid the subject. I'm not some fragile little China doll. I can handle this."

"Maybe I can't." Tommy spoke suddenly, causing her to raise an eyebrow and turn around. "Kimberly…the whole situation still kills me inside because there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. It was the second time in our lives that I felt absolutely helpless because a child of ours suffered cruelly to the hands of fate. I don't want to think about it and I certainly don't want to talk about it."

Tommy stood from the bed and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him loudly. Kimberly jumped as the sound echoed off the wall. Bottom lip quivering, she snatched her coat off the back of the door and ran down the stairs. Tommy could hear the front door slam from his place in the shower and he sighed before resting his head against the wall. As the water showered down on him, soaking his hair, he could hear the sound of sirens echoing through his head.

"_Adam, what are you doing here?" Tommy asked as he looked away from the suspect he had just saved from attempted suicide._

_Adam looked at Tommy, a grim look on his face as his skinned paled. "Tommy…Jason is on the phone. There's been an accident."_

The police commissioner shook his head quickly to rid himself of the painful thoughts, but Adam's words kept echoing through his head. With a frustrated cry, Tommy slammed his fist against the wall before sinking to his knees in the shower. He had kept his feelings bottled up for so long and he didn't know how much more he could take before it would all spill out.

* * *

Jacob held Aria close as the strummed chords of "Collide" by Howie Day played in the background. The two of them swayed slowly along with the music, not paying attention to any of the other teens around them. Aria looked up to meet his gaze and offered him a small smile which he gladly responded to with one of his own.

"What do you say we get out of here for a little while?" Aria asked as the moonlight shone down upon them. "I could use a little fresh air so to speak."

Jacob nodded as he laced his hand in hers and allowed him to lead her away from the partying teens towards the dock. Aria smiled as she pointed towards a post where one of the row boats had been tied up. Jacob shrugged as Aria climbed off the dock and into the boat. He followed after her before untying the rope and taking hold of the oars. He rowed the two of them out on the water and they both smiled as the music on the shore slowly faded away. After ten minutes of rowing, Jacob placed the oars back on the floor and looked off in the distance where the large bonfire now looked like a small firefly. Aria smiled as she looked up at the full face of the moon in the midnight sky as it rested betwixt millions of shimmering stars.

"It's so beautiful out here." She said as Jacob also lifted his head to the sky to view the masterpiece overhead.

"Yeah, it sure is." He said in awe. Aria looked towards the teen before standing and carefully making her way over to sit beside him. A smile graced her lips as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Jacob, tell me the truth. How come it took you so long to work up enough courage to ask for my number? You know, I would have given it to you whenever you asked, right?"

Jacob looked at her, surprise on his face. "Aria, to be honest, I never imagined that you would be into me. I mean, look at you. You are this beautiful, amazing girl who is funny, pretty and smart. You're a cheerleader who spends a lot of time hanging with the jocks at parties and doing crazy things. Then you have me, a social outcast whose only hobby is taking martial arts lessons at my stepfather's dojo. I didn't think you would be too interested in me."

"Jacob, I have had a crush on you from the minute I saw you freshman year. Maybe I should have asked you out first?"

Jacob smiled. "Can I ask you something right now?"

"What is it?"

"If I were to kiss you right now…would you pull away?"

Aria smiled sweetly before cupping his cheek and leaning in slowly to press her lips against hers gently. Jacob sighed as he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close. Aria leaned into him, pressing their chests together closely, pulling a moan from Jacob's throat. He wove his hands into her hair as his tongue swiped against her bottom lip, begging for her to allow him entry which she gladly gave. The two of them remained like that, wrapped up in lust and passion until a clap of thunder erupted overhead. Aria pulled away quickly and looked up at the sky. Where stars had been moments before were black clouds.

"Oh no, we have to get back to shore." Aria said as she grabs hold of an oar and begins to paddle. Jacob nods as he jumps up to grab the other oar. The two of them begin paddling furiously as they try their best to make it out of the water. Jacob's eyes widen when he sees lightning strike in the distance.

"This is very bad." Aria says, her voice panicked. "We have to get out of the water now."

"Keep paddling." Jacob instructs her. "I know it is dangerous, but we can't stop for anything. The sooner we get out of this water, the better."

Another flash of lightning crossed the sky and Aria let out a surprised yelp as rain began to fall in a downpour, obscuring their vision. Jacob could just barely make out the sight of the bonfire in the distance, so he began to paddle faster. Suddenly, a strike of lightning hit the water just a few yards behind them and Aria screamed in terror, but Jacob continued to row. Suddenly, the bow of the boat hit something hard. Jacob reached a hand out and smiled at the realization that it was the dock.

"Aria, give me your hand." He shouted over the sound of the rain. Aria fumbled in the dark until her hand found his. Jacob pulled himself onto the dock before pulling Aria out of the boat. The two of them ran through the rain onto the beach. Jacob squinted through the downpour to see if anyone else was around, but it appeared as though the party-goers had left camp.

"This way." Jacob said as he pulled Aria down the beach towards the lifeguard hut. He closed the door tightly behind them before flipping on the light. Aria was shivering, her lips blue, as she took a seat on the floor. Jacob looked around the room for anything he could use as a blanket. He spied a tarp that was used to cover some of the boats during bad weather. It wasn't a blanket, but it would have to do. He sat down beside Aria and wrapped the tarp around her shoulders before wrapping it around his own.

"I left my cellphone with Melanie." Aria admitted as she rested her head on his shoulder. "She is probably freaking out because she doesn't know where I am. Then there's the fact that it was almost nine when we got into the boat. My parents are probably worried sick."

Jacob smiled as he reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out his phone. "Well, mine is a little wet, but I think it is still manageable. I'll call my friend Kegan to pick us up and we can take you home. You can text Melanie when I'm through so she knows you're okay."

"Well, aren't you resourceful." Aria said with a smile. Jacob smiled before dialing his friend's number.

* * *

Kimberly rang the doorbell in front of her before wrapping her arms around herself. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks and her eyes were swollen from her tear fest in the car. She waited patiently as the chain lock was removed on the other side of the door. When the door swung open, she threw herself into the awaiting arms of Jason as she sobbed into his chest.

"Kimberly, what in the world is going on?" Jason asked as he pushed the door closed and led her into the living room.

"Jason, everything is so screwed up." Kimberly wailed as she plopped down on the couch. "Katherine is back and Neveah is terrified that she is going to cause harm to her and there is nothing I can say or do to make her feel better. So I was at the house looking over some old photographs with Tommy when I came across sonogram pictures that I thought I had thrown away and…I tried to get Tommy to talk with me openly about it but he shut me out and locked himself in the bathroom. He said he didn't want to go down that road again with me and I just don't understand. Jason, we keep sweeping the situation under the rug as though it never existed, but there are still pieces and remnants left behind that I still see. I mean…I know things didn't go well the first time we tried to work our way through the situation but Jason, I am ready to face things now and Tommy isn't."

Jason sighed as he took a seat beside his sister and rested a hand on her knee. "Kimberly, you have to understand how Tommy is feeling about all of this. He has watched you get hurt time and time again and it is killing him inside. He talks to me all the time about how he is feeling, just as you do. The problem is, when he does try and talk to you, you shut him out. How come it is a problem when he refuses to talk to you about something, but it isn't a problem when you refuse to talk to him about a problem? It isn't right Kimberly, and you know it."

Kimberly sighed in frustration as she tugged on her hair. "I don't know."

"Well, you need to figure it out Kimberly. You and Tommy have to focus on Neveah right now and help her through this tough time. You can't go at each other's throats over a situation that happened years ago that potentially almost destroyed your marriage. Look, I think it is best that the two of you talk about the baby and smooth things over. If you need a mediator during the conversation, you know Trini and I will be happy to step in and play the part. Regardless, you and Tommy need to fix things or you are never going to be able to help your daughter through her present crisis."

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Molly's voice suddenly appeared from the doorway. Kimberly and Jason looked up to see Molly standing in the doorway, dressed in loose pajama bottoms and a t-shirt.

"Molly, it isn't polite to eavesdrop." Kimberly said with a sigh.

Molly frowned as she walked into the room and stood behind the couch. "I could hear you crying from Samara's room and I got worried. What's wrong with Neveah? Better yet, what's wrong with you and dad?"

Jason rested a hand on Kimberly's shoulder. "Molly, you should go back to bed."

"No Uncle Jason, I want to know what is going on. I am tired of everyone thinking I am too young to understand anything. For Pete's sake, I am thirteen years old. I think I am old enough to make sense of things in the world. My mom is upset and I can tell that something is seriously wrong. So who's going to be the first to fill me in?"

Kimberly sighed. "Katherine is out of prison and she just moved back to Angel Grove. Your sister is really taking it hard."

"I don't blame her." Molly said as her feet shuffled against the carpet. She took a seat beside her mother. "That woman is insane and she shouldn't even be allowed within ten feet of Neveah. I understand that this situation is a lot to handle, but it still doesn't explain what's wrong with you and dad. You guys…aren't getting a divorce are you?"

"Honey, no." Kimberly said quickly as she firmly placed her hand on the girl's knee. "That isn't what is going on at all. We just had…a slight disagreement."

"Mom, a slight disagreement doesn't cause you to fall apart like this. You and dad never fight, what's going on?"

Kimberly sighed as dark memories filled her head. "I came across sonograms from when I was pregnant with your brother."

Molly's face suddenly fell. "Oh…"

"I know I wasn't ready to talk about the miscarriage back then, especially because I felt it was all out of my hands…but I was ready to talk about it tonight and your dad just wouldn't let me. I guess I never really thought about how he felt at the time."

"Go back home and talk to dad." Molly urged her mother with a confident, yet sad smile. "You guys never dealt with it after the accident. I think you should deal with it now."

"Smart kid." Jason complimented the girl as he gave her a smile.

Kimberly sighed as she wiped away her tears and stood to her feet. "You're right. I can't leave things like this with Tommy. For Christ's sake, I love him."

"Go on mom." Molly said with a laugh. "I'll see you in the morning."

Kimberly thanked her daughter and Jason before quickly running out the door. If she and Tommy could handle the accident that cruelly terminated her pregnancy, they could handle Katherine being back in Angel Grove.

* * *

**A/N:**** Review!**


	4. Memories of Yesterday

**A/N:**** I know this update is long overdue, but I am entering the last inning stretch of my junior year of college and it is STRESSFUL. I have been trying to update at least one of my fanfics each week but I only managed to squeeze out updates for my other **_**Power Rangers **_**fanfic and my **_**Young Justice **_**fanfic. Don't worry guys. Summer vacation is almost here which means I will have a little more time to get updates out. So, hang in there with me guys!**

**This chapter is a combination of the past and present. All flashback scenes are in italics and all current events are in normal font.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the **_**Power Rangers **_**series or any of the show's characters. However, I do own ALL original characters featured in this story and the entire plot because the ideas were mine. It's as simple as that. So please everyone, NO STEALING MY IDEAS. Thank you very much **

* * *

"_**Memories of Yesterday"**_

_Kimberly stretched her arms above her head and stifled a yawn as she waddled down the main staircase of her home. The smell of scrambled eggs and toast reached her nose and she licked her lips in anticipation as she and her round stomach entered the kitchen. Tommy was seated at the table, newspaper in one hand and his green coffee mug in the other as he read the headliner. Kimberly smiled as she walked behind him and snaked her arms around his neck. He smiled as she pressed her lips against his cheek._

"_Good morning handsome." She said cheerfully as she stood upright and began to rub his shoulders. She smiled at the sight of his neck loosening up. Tommy leaned back and stared up at his wife of eleven years with a soft smile on his face._

"_Good morning beautiful. You know, I am really the one who should be giving massages around here. You really shouldn't be up on your feet."_

_Kimberly shrugged as she crossed the room to grab a slice of toast off the plate Tommy had laid out. She spread some butter evenly across the top and took a crunchy bite before going to sit across from the commander in chief. _

"_So Tommy, are you ready for my appointment today?"_

_Tommy raised an eyebrow questioningly as he set his paper down on the tabletop and smoothed out the wrinkles. _

"_What appointment would that be Kim?"_

_Kimberly folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Thomas James Oliver, did you forget that I have an O.B. appointment at the hospital today? I told you last week to clear your schedule. We are supposed to be finding out the gender of the baby today."_

_Tommy sighed as he ran a hand through his loose hair. "Kimberly, I am so sorry. I completely forgot to write the appointment down on my schedule. I can't go with you to the appointment because we're working a very important case today. I'm sorry."_

"_Tommy, we both agreed that we would go to the appointment together. You promised me."_

"_I know I promised Kim and I feel awful about this whole mess. Would it make you feel better if I asked Jason to go with you?"_

_Kimberly's frowned only intensified at the suggestion. "Tommy, you know I love Jason and if it were a regular checkup, I would be glad to let him take me. But you are the father of this baby and you are the one who should go with me."_

_Tommy sighed as he stood from the table and walked over to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could manage with her stomach in the way and rested his chin on top of her head._

"_Beautiful, I am so sorry about all of this. I promise from now on that I will listen more and keep things organized. I want to be there for you today, but I can't go to the appointment when such a huge case is lying on my desk down at the bureau. Look, what if I send Hope with you? Would that make you feel better having an officer to escort you there?"_

_Kimberly couldn't help but to smile at the suggestion. She sighed before looking up at her husband. Tommy smiled at the satisfied look on her face._

"_Fine Tommy, I'll let Hope escort me to the hospital for one of the most important moments of our lives. Just be sure to have your phone on you. I want to call you as soon as I find out the gender of our new baby."_

_Tommy smiled and gave Kimberly a gentle kiss on her forehead before letting her out of his arms and heading for the front hall. Kimberly followed after him and leaned against the doorframe to watch him lace up his boots. Tommy snatched his keys out of the dish on the table and gave his wife a small wave before heading out the door._

* * *

Kimberly's hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight that her knuckles were turning white. The rain drummed against the roof of her Saturn as she sped down the road towards her home. The radio was on full blast as well as the heat that was drying her damp hair. She took a shaky breath as she tried to think of a way to tell Tommy she was sorry for everything.

"How could I be so selfish?" she said through her sniffles as tears ran down her face. "I blamed myself for everything that happened back then. I continuously shut Tommy out when all he was trying to do was help me. Jason and Molly are right. I need to fix things now while I still have a chance."

* * *

_Kimberly sat in the passenger's seat of Hope's SUV as they sped down Main Street towards the Hospital. The two of them were laughing happily as a country song blared through the speakers. _

"_What do you say we grab a bite to eat after we leave your appointment?" Hope asked her friend. "I'm sure all of your excitement has you hungry."_

_Kimberly laughed as she moved her arm to crack her window just slightly. "I was too excited to eat this morning. I nibbled on a slice of buttered toast, but that's about it. I could really go for something with peanut butter on it."_

_Hope raised an eyebrow. "I don't think there are any restaurants around with peanut butter on the menu."_

"_Well, let's head back to my house for lunch then. I can make us a few hamburgers or something. We'll have to swing by the store though to pick up a package of hamburger buns. We used up the buns during Molly's birthday party last weekend."_

_Hope smiled at the mentioning of the eight-year-old girl. "I can't believe she's already eight. It seems like just yesterday that Collin and I came to visit you in the hospital. She was the prettiest baby I had ever seen. I'll bet this new baby will be an even better addition to your family."_

_Kimberly smiled as Hope eased her foot onto the brake and stopped at a stoplight. They sung along with the song on the radio as they waited patiently for the light to turn green. Just as the light turned and Hope eased into the intersection, a car came from out of nowhere and slammed into the car with an alarming force. Kimberly and Hope's screams echoed throughout the car as the SUV flipped over twice before skidding to a stop._

_When Hope came to, there was a loud ringing in her ears and she could literally feel and hear her heart pounding in her head. Her vision was blurred and she felt like she was going to be sick. Suddenly, her thoughts turned to her passenger and her eyes widened with horror. Hope turned her head weakly and she cried out in horror at the sight of her passenger. Kimberly's head was lying limp on her shoulder as blood streamed down her face. _

"_Oh my God, Kimberly." Hope said in a small voice. Hope leaned over towards her friend and cried out in pain when she moved her left arm. She quickly learned that she couldn't move the arm and she growled in frustration before reaching towards Kimberly with her other arm. She gently shook Kimberly's shoulder, but she wouldn't stir from her forced slumber._

_Realizing that both Kimberly and the baby were in danger, Hope began to look around the car for something to break open her window. Much to her luck, Collin's tool box was still underneath her seat. She reached inside and grabbed hold of a wrench before slamming it three times into the window with as much strength as she could muster. The window shattered open and her shoulders shook with sobs as she climbed out of the window. A pedestrian who had seen the crash ran over to hope as she collapsed onto her knees._

"_Miss, are you alright?" the man asked as he rested a hand on her back._

"_Please, you have to call 9-1-1. My friend is trapped in the car. She's five months pregnant."_

_The man looked through the broken window and gasped at the sight of the woman. "My wife called the hotline as soon as we saw the crash. The man who slammed into you is wasted beyond belief. Some biker guy stopped him from leaving."_

"_Biker?" Hope said as the pain in her head grew._

"_Oh my God, Hope. Is that you?"_

_Hope looked up and gasped at the sight of Rocky walking towards her, his helmet in his hands. Hope stood to her feet with the help of the man and pointed towards her car._

"_Rock, Kimberly is trapped in the passenger's seat."_

"_Oh my God." Rocky said as he ran over to the passenger's side. _

_Hope watched as Rocky struggled to get Kimberly's door open. He ended up running around to the other side Hope had climbed out of. He struggled with getting the door open, but he got it open just as the fire department arrived with the police. Hope could barely comprehend what was going on as Rocky sat inside the vehicle listening to the paramedics instructions. She could hear Kimberly crying out in pain as the firemen began cutting off the roof of the car. Hope was unsure of what was going on with her friends and before she could go and offer assistance, she was approached by a paramedic._

"_Miss, we need to get you checked out." The woman spoke. "You are injured."_

"_No, I'm not going anywhere until I know what's happening to my friend. She's my boss's wife and I have to know if she's okay."_

"_Miss Ignalis, you are injured." The medic spoke with heavy emphasis. "You can't do anything for that woman right now."_

_Hope was about to protest, but she finally gave in to the medic's request and followed her to an ambulance. The paramedics explained to Hope that her arm had been dislocated and that she possibly had a concussion, but their explanations fell upon deaf ears. Hope felt tears fill her eyes at the sight of Kimberly being lifted from the car and placed on a stretcher. Rocky ran alongside her as they lifted the stretcher up into the ambulance. _

"_Rocky." Hope shouted to get his attention. The former Red Ranger turned and spotted Hope sitting in the back of another ambulance. He ran over just as the other pulled off to speed Kimberly towards the hospital. _

_Rocky's face was filled with pure dread when he got to Hope and the lead detective felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach._

"_She's not going to be alright, is she?" Hope asked, a grim expression on her face._

_Rocky sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "The initial impact struck her side of the car. She went into labor because of the impact."_

"_Tommy is going to hate me." Hope said as she buried her face in her hands._

"_Hope, none of what happened is your fault. That drunk bastard should have never been inside that car. He is to blame for all of this. Let's just hope that the doctors can either stop the labor or that Kimberly's baby can survive being four months premature. Do you want me to call your husband?"_

_Hope shook her head. "Get a hold of Jason. Tommy is in the office and he is the only one who will be able to get in touch with him. Collin can be notified about all of this after Tommy knows."_

_Rocky nodded before running off. The paramedics helped Hope onto a small cot in the back of the ambulance before shutting the doors. The pain in Hope's head seemed to grow with the added sound of sirens blaring around her, and she succumbed to the darkness._

* * *

Tommy was lying on the couch when the front door opened. His eyes moved away from the television and over to the front hall where he could see Kimberly stepping through the front door. She had yet to notice him as he sat up on the couch and watched her set her keys in the small glass dish on the hall table. She sniffed and wiped away the tears in her eyes before heading for the staircase.

"I'm not upstairs." He called out to her before looking away and muting the television.

Kimberly froze, her hand on the railing as she turned towards his voice. She smiled softly before stepping of the staircase and walking into the living room.

"I'm glad you're still awake." She admitted as she took off her wet coat and tossed it onto the back of the living chair. Tommy's eyes moved over her body as he observed her appearance. Kimberly looked tired, cold, and wet. She was shivering as she wrapped her arms around herself and took a seat on the couch beside him.

"I was hoping you hadn't gone to sleep on the way back here." She said as she stared straight ahead out the opened window. She could see the rain falling as the street lamps lit up the streets with an orange light. "You know how I always convince the kids that when they are fighting, they should make up before they go to sleep. It isn't good to go to bed angry, you know? Well, I was thinking on the way here how I should start taking my own advice."

Tommy broke his silence with a sigh before turning to face his wife. "Kimberly, I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did. It's just that I don't like talking about what happened because it brings up horrible memories. Not just memories of what happened that day, but memories of how torn you and I were after that day. Kimberly, I was so convinced that you thought the entire situation was my fault. I couldn't remember the appointment and didn't take off work. That is how you wound up in the car with Hope. You were right to be upset with me that day."

Kimberly shook her head before cupping his face between the palms of her hands. She looked him in his eyes as she tried her best to keep herself together.

"Tommy, it was wrong of me to blame you. You have never done anything to hurt me in the entire time that I have known you. You have always been there for me, helping me and picking me up when I was down. You have loved me at times that I didn't feel worthy of being loved. You have been through so much since meeting me and not once have I stopped and thought about how much you must have been hurting because of what I was going through. When Grace died all those years ago and I was wallowing in despair, you still went on with life and kept yourself together for both mine and Jacob's sake. When I lost our baby, you tried to remain strong for my sake. You never showed how broken you were in front of me until just yesterday and it's been five years since the accident. Tommy…I am not going to put your feelings on the back burner any longer. We love each other. When we got married, we promised that we would stand by each other for better and for worse. It is time for me to start taking that vow more seriously."

Tommy's lips parted just slightly as he stared at Kimberly in shock. "Kim…you are a wonderful wife to me and I love you so much. I don't want you to feel as though you were neglecting our vows because you were ignoring how I felt. You aren't as ignorant and uncaring as you seem to think you are. You help me more than you know."

Kimberly grabbed both of his hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Then Tommy, let me help you now. We can get through losing this baby the right way. I don't want us to sweep the situation under the rug like we did all those years ago. Let's get everything out in the open. It's time for us to heal because if we can't get passed something that happened five years ago…how are we going to get past Katherine's return to our lives?"

Tommy smiled softly before wrapping an arm around Kimberly's shoulder and pulling her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder as he placed a soft kiss on top of her head. Kimberly smiled as he reached for the television remote and unmuted the television.

* * *

_Tommy was in the interrogation room glaring at a suspect that had just been taken into custody. The man was leaning back in his chair, arms folded across his chest as he glared at the spiky-haired man in front of him. Tommy smirked as he let out a low chuckle._

"_Well Max, you certainly had my detectives going. You honestly thought you were going to get away with your heinous crimes."_

"_I'm not saying anything to you without a lawyer." Max snapped._

"_Max, what you say isn't going to make a difference whether a lawyer is here or not. The amount of evidence my detectives gathered is enough to convict you even without a jury's help. Fingerprints, hair fibers, DNA evidence left behind on your victim. You are guilty Max and there is nothing you are going to be able to do about it. The fact that you tried to commit suicide once you found out what we knew makes this situation even easier to handle. You're going away Max, for a long time."_

_Max bit his bottom lip before sighing. "Let's make a deal."_

_Tommy shook his head. "There is no deal up for grabs. You brutally raped and tortured your girlfriend and left her for dead. Her injuries were so extensive that she was barely recognizable when we found her. You are going away for a long time."_

_Just then, there was a knock on the door. Tommy growled angrily before standing from the table and heading out of the room. Adam was leaning against the wall when he stepped out into the dark hallway, a grim expression on his face._

"_Adam, what are you doing here?" Tommy asked as he spared a glance at Max and closed the door._

_The grim expression on Adam's face seemed to worsen at Tommy's question and the commissioner's face paled._

"_Tommy…Jason is on the phone. There's been an accident."_

_Tommy's eyes widened as the words left his friend's lips. "Who's hurt? What's going on?"_

_Adam held out his cellphone. "You had better let Jason explain things to you. I don't think I can handle it."_

_Tommy reached out a shaky hand and took the Galaxy from Adam's hand. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath._

"_Jason it's me. What's going on?"_

_Tommy can hear the sounds of shouting and machines blaring in the background followed by the slamming of the door. He can hear Jason take a deep breath._

"_Tommy…Hope and Kimberly were hit by a drunk driver on their way to the hospital. Hope's shoulder was dislocated and she's pretty beat up, not to mention scared. The drunk driver's car slammed into the passenger side of Hope's car and hit Kimberly. Tommy, the impact of the other car was so strong that Kimberly went into premature labor. The doctors did everything they could to stop the labor but there's nothing they can do. She's going to have to deliver."_

_Tommy's heart fell to the pit of his stomach and he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. He reached a hand out to the wall and tried to steady himself as his legs turned to jelly. Adam saw his friend struggling to stand and walked over to hold him up._

"_This can't be happening Jason. It's too early for Kim to have the baby. The doctors have to stop the delivery."_

"_Tommy, there is nothing that can be done. Kimberly has lost so much blood because of the crash and she has extensive injuries. If she doesn't deliver that baby, you could lose them both. I suggest you get here immediately. Kimberly needs you."_

_Tommy hung up Adam's phone and tossed it to him before running down the hall. Adam ran after him, worry in his eyes._

"_Tommy, you should take a patrol car so you can avoid traffic. I'll stay behind and finish booking Max."_

_Adam stopped running as Tommy ran through the front doors. The next thing he saw was Tommy peeling out of the parking lot, sirens blazing and tears in his eyes. Adam sighed and leaned against the wall._

"_Please…let Kimberly and the baby be alright."_

* * *

Tommy opened his eyes and stifled a yawn as he stretched his arms above his head. The room was dark, the only light coming from the television as it cast a faint blue glow all throughout the room. Kimberly was sleeping, her head resting on his chest as soft snores escaped her lips. He smiled before grabbing the remote and turning off the television. He then scooped Kimberly up into his arms and carried her bridal style up to their bedroom. She began to stir when he laid her on the bed and he smiled as he took a seat on the edge of the mattress and stroked her cheek. Kimberly yawned before opening her eyes slowly.

"What time is it?" she asked in a groggy voice.

Tommy smiled. "It's a little after midnight. We fell asleep watching TV."

Kimberly smiled as she sat up and scratched the back of her head. "I really need to shower."

"Shower in the morning beautiful. We should really get some sleep in our own bed."

Kimberly giggled before releasing another yawn. "I am still dressed in these damp clothes and I am freezing."

Tommy stood up and pulled his shirt over his head before tossing it across the room where it landed on the floor beside the hamper. He then slid off his jeans and left his Jordans on before climbing back onto the bed. Kimberly shook her head, a smile on her lips as she peeled her wet clothing off and threw on Tommy's discarded t-shirt. The commissioner laughed as she jumped onto the bed and snuggled her face against her pillow. She turned over so she was facing him and he laid down so their faces were mere inches apart.

"I love you." He said with sincerity in his voice.

Kimberly smiled before giving him a quick kiss. "I love you too handsome."

* * *

_Tommy ran through the sliding doors of the emergency room with a look of panic on his face. Trini was sitting in the waiting area with Collin, both of them trying their hardest to look optimistic for their friend. Collin stood to his feet and motioned for Tommy to follow him and the two of them walked through the sliding doors. Tommy's pace quickened as the sound of Kimberly's cries reached his ears. He ran towards the anguished cries and slipped into a room where Kimberly was sitting up on the bed, her arms wrapped around Jason as she cried into his chest. Jason had his own set of tears in his eyes as he rubbed his sister's back soothingly. Tommy felt heartbroken at the sight of his wife covered in blood and so defeated._

_He walked over to the two of them and Jason raised his head to look his friend in the eyes. He shook his head sadly and Tommy's hands began to shake as he took a seat beside his wife. Kimberly's head shot up at the sudden movement of the mattress and she turned to her husband with swollen, red eyes._

"_Kimberly…" Tommy said, unsure of what he could say to make things right._

"_None of this was supposed to happen." She said through her sobs. "You and I were supposed to go to the appointment together. I should have just cancelled and none of this would have happened."_

"_Kimberly, it's going to be alright." Tommy said._

"_Tommy, the impact of the crash was so brutal that I went into early labor. I just gave birth to a stillborn baby boy. How the hell is this going to be alright?"_

_Kimberly through herself into Jason's arms once more and Tommy felt hurt at the action. Collin didn't fail to notice and he walked over to rest a hand on Tommy's shoulder. Tommy sighed before standing from the bed and storming out of the room. Collin motioned for Jason to go after him before taking his place beside Kimberly. The broken woman held onto her ex with all her might as she continued to wail._

_Jason stepped out into the hall and looked around for any signs of Tommy. He caught sight of the spiky-haired man as he ducked out a back entrance. Jason jogged after him and caught Tommy's arm just before he could step out into the parking lot._

"_Jason, let me go." Tommy warned him._

_The former Red Ranger shook his head and tightened his grip on Tommy's arm. "Tommy, she isn't angry with you."_

"_Jason, she is right though. I didn't listen to her when she told me to take off work last week because of the importance of today. We were going to find out the gender of our second child together and she was so happy. We both were…but I didn't listen and instead of taking off, I forced her to go with Hope because work was more important than my wife. Kimberly should have never been in that car with Hope, she should have been with me. Now…my son is dead and my wife can't even look at me because I am the cause of all of this happening."_

"_Tommy, don't even think like that bro. Kimberly is angry with herself and is taking her anger out on the wrong people. If anyone is to blame for what happened to that poor, innocent little baby it is that drunk driver that sped through a red light. He is the cause for all of your pain and suffering today. It is going to take a while, but Kimberly will eventually move past this. You have to understand that."_

_Tommy suddenly broke down in tears as he buried his face in his hands. Jason walked over to his friend and gave him a hug. He knew how much that baby meant to Tommy and Kimberly both. This tragic accident was going to take a lot to get past and he knew it. From that moment on, Jason vowed that no matter what, he was going to be there for his friends. _

* * *

**A/N:**** Thanks for being patient for waiting and thanks again for reading. I'll be looking forward to reading your reviews. See you at the next update.**


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